Landfall: Islands in the Aftermath (The Pulse Series Book 4) by Scott B. Williams

this with Grant. It was all she had left after realizing she might never be able to go back to her old life or even return to the mainland for an indefinite length of time. She missed her parents and other family and friends in California, but there was simply no way of knowing if they were still alive or not. All she had was this, and the hope of something more, something much more, with Grant. It was this dream that kept her going; that saved her from falling into depression and despair, but now, seeing how happy Grant was to be with Casey again, she felt that hope begin to fade.
    The work of unloading the Casey Nicole began shortly after everyone was awake and moving about. Larry said that the boat had to be lightened as much as possible by removing her stores and gear. They did this by passing things from the deck to the beach, stacking it all above the high tide line. The next step, after that was done, Larry said, was to get the catamaran out of the water as well. Jessica wasn’t sure how that could be done, but she knew if anybody could do it, Larry Drager could. He had built the boat, after all, with Scully’s help and his own two hands.  
    The work was strenuous and monotonous, and Jessica would have preferred to wander off and explore the lovely beaches of the island alone with Grant, but that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. At least she was near him, even if he was on the deck with Larry and Artie while she, along with Casey, Tara and Rebecca were wading back and forth with the things they handed overboard to them. As she worked beside her, Jessica was bothered a bit by how her thoughts of Casey had changed. It made her feel bad, knowing inside she would have preferred if Casey were not there at all. She should be glad to see her friend again, but now Grant was a wedge driven between them, and Jessica feared it would only push them farther apart. She found herself thinking this way more and more and couldn’t help it. It made her want to physically keep herself between Grant and Casey as much as possible, as if that would change things. The feeling was so strong that she realized she was moving more stuff to the beach than Casey, simply because she wanted to be the one he handed things to more often than her. If Casey had been on the deck with him instead of in the water with her, Jessica would have been furious. She tried to remind herself she had gotten closer to Grant than Casey, at least as far as she knew. He had opened up to her and returned her kisses, but still…
    Her thoughts of this dilemma were interrupted when the stranger appeared later that morning; surprising them all after thinking they were alone there. She watched and waited in the shallows beside the catamaran as Larry, Grant and Artie went to meet him, keeping him at a distance until they determined whether or not he was a threat. Jessica certainly hoped not. She’d thought they’d put all that behind them once they left Florida and the rest of the U.S. astern. The point of coming here to the Bahamas in the first place was to find a refuge from the violence that seemed to be everywhere back there. Jessica hoped none of them would have to use their guns again, but she was glad they were all well armed when they walked up the hill to greet the guy.
    Jessica judged him to be not much older than her or Grant, maybe in his late twenties. He was shirtless, wearing only surfer shorts and sandals, and was carrying nothing but a fishing spear. The guys talked to him for a few minutes, and then Grant returned to the boat, saying they were going to give him some food.
    “He says his name is Russell. I don’t think he’s dangerous. He’s just stranded here and he’s hungry. Larry told him he could join us for breakfast. The guy’s been living off whelks and raw fish for weeks. He doesn’t even have a way to start a fire.”
    When Larry and Artie returned to the boat bringing Russell with them, Jessica thought he seemed friendly enough